She has been a supermodel and a practicing dentist. She emerged victorious in whatever she attempted. Be it launching her lawn collection, footwear line ‘Fetish’, her salon, and makeup brand ‘Bling’ to raising her four lovely children, she has triumphed in all the domains. With a knack for multitasking, she also acts in television projects. Is there anything she can’t do?
Nadia Hussain stands as a beacon of grace, talent, and empowerment. With her striking features, magnetic presence, and relentless determination, she has not only redefined beauty standards but has also paved the way for aspiring models and Pakistani women in general to dream big and break barriers.
The superwoman Nadia Hussain in an exclusive interview with Fashion Times Magazine, gives insights about her modeling career, her beauty and fitness regime, acting endeavors, and much more. Read on…
Fashion Times Magazine (FTM): Can you tell us a bit about what inspired you to become a model?
Nadia Hussain (NH): It all started during the six-month gap between my A-levels and my dental college. I got an offer to do a modeling assignment that I took up. And the ball never stopped rolling.
(FTM): What’s the most fun and difficult thing about being a model?
(NH): I have always enjoyed the traveling aspect. The difficult thing has always been the multiple wardrobe changes.
(FTM): Can you tell us about the wins along the way?
(NH): The wins have been the fame and fortune. But most importantly it has been the number of women whom I have impacted positively; being a role model, striking the right balance between work and personal life.
(FTM): Can you pick your favorite designers, photographers and makeup artists from the industry?
(NH): Nomi Ansari, HSY, and Ayesha Farooq are my favorite designers. Tapu Javeri, Rizwan ul Haq and Shahbaz Shazi are my top three photographers. I am good at doing my own makeup.
(FTM): What does your beauty and fitness regimen look like?
(NH): I am very particular about my skincare in general. I make sure to double cleanse at night and apply lots of skin care products. I never really go without properly cleansing my skin during the day time as well. My fitness regime is based on avoiding extra calories and eating carefully. I try to incorporate regular exercise as much as my routine can allow me to. I have not been very regular in my exercise nowadays so, I do feel I have gained a bit of weight. So I need to be extra careful in what I am eating.
(FTM): How would you best describe your personal style?
(NH): My personal style has always been casual chic. I wear such clothes in which I can spend the entire day, step out to the bazaar, go on a lunch date with my friends even attend a red carpet at a movie premiere.
(FTM): What’s your favorite beauty product?
(NH): My favorite beauty product is from my brand ‘Bling’ by Nadia Hussain. It is a Go-Makeup palette, a complete makeup kit that includes face, lip and cheek, contour, eye shadows, highlighter and face powder.
(FTM): As an actor, is it harder to find scripts? How do you stay inventive as an actor?
(NH): I find it extremely hard to find diverse scripts. I truly feel that I have been badly typecast in negative roles. I try to convince producers and directors to offer me something different, but breaking through the typecasting barrier has proven to be exceedingly challenging. So, I continue to do whatever work that comes my way. Having said that I am still looking for more innovative scripts which I doubt I will ever find.
(FTM): Time flies. Your son has joined medical school. Are your daughters inclined toward joining the fashion or entertainment industry?
(NH): My second child, who is my elder daughter is seventeen right now. She is doing her A-levels first year. She is also inclined towards becoming a doctor; she has taken all sciences and maths subjects. But whether she does medicine or not is still to be seen. As of now, she is not interested in the entertainment industry. As far as my younger kids are concerned, I feel they are a lot savvier in front of the camera. I feel that one of the younger ones might be interested in joining the entertainment industry but surely this is something that I would not allow them to do as their only profession. They have to acquire a proper degree as well.
(FTM): Can you tell us about your future endeavors?
(NH): I intend to work a lot more in the marketing and expansion of my salon branches. Also, I aim to expand the retail distribution of ‘Bling’. In the meantime, I will continue to do acting projects and manage my salon appointments simultaneously.
Quickies
What is the one thing that annoys you the most?
Hairy soap bars.
What is one of your weird quirks?
My husband tells me that I jerk in my sleep if I am extremely tired.
What was the first thing you bought from your first pay cheque?
Lots and lots of makeup, jewelry and shoes.
What’s the most unusual thing you have in your handbag?
A big box of a special mix of Saunf (fennel) that I prepare myself.
How long does it take you to get ready in the morning?
It depends on where I am headed. Five minutes for the gym or formal dress-up. For a shoot, coffee meet-up with friends, red carpet appearance, store launch, or a movie requires forty-five minutes to an hour. It includes a selection of clothes, jewelry, bag, and shoes along with hairdo.
What is the one thing you have done from your bucket list and one thing you haven’t?
I am done with skydiving, shark-cage diving is left to be done.
What’s the best excuse you’ve made if you get late for a shoot or appointment?
Had to rush my dog to the vet.
What’s the one thing you can talk about for hours on end?
Makeup.
What’s the late-night food that you crave for?
King chips.
What’s your workout song?
Any J. Lo. song as she is truly my fitness inspiration.
Are you obsessed with Selfies?
Yes, I am quite obsessed, but clicking selfies all the time becomes boring.
How often do you Google?
Many times during the day, since it is truly our encyclopedia for everything.
